Find out why a Conure (Sun, Green Cheek) could be the ideal choice for your first bird
All birds are demanding and require a generous amount of love and attention, but some are generally better as first-time pets than others.
Among the first species you will find in pets stores are conures and budgies.
Conures, both sun and green cheeks, are ideal first-time birds, especially if you want something cuddly that you can touch. However, green cheeks are notorious bitters, so if you want the birds for a kid, your odds swing better towards a budgie or cockatiel.
If you decide to go for a conure as your first-time bet, it helps to learn a little about their care and what to do when they act up.
Keeping in mind conures are pretty loud and little rough (aggressive) than budgies, be prepared for a fair amount of commotion in your house and a steeper learning curve.
With that said, understand that not conure is the same, and one bird’s behavior is not representative of all conures or parrots. You need to understand your birdies, his likes and preferences, and what vexes him for the best experience.
Are Green Cheek Conures Good Beginner Birds
If you are eager to own a conure as a first bird, you most likely have come across a green cheek parakeet or maybe a sun conure. They are both pretty popular in the hobby, albeit the former more so than the latter.
A conure will make a perfect first bird for new adult owners, but you can never be too prepared or know what to expect because you might get an oddball.
Apart from doing your research, you also need to look at your lifestyle to see if a green cheek parakeet is good for you.
For instance, people in school or work and away from home all day Monday through Friday will have a challenge keeping a green cheek as their first bird.
These birds are social animals that want your interaction, attention, and to experience life with you since, in the absence of a flock, you are its companion.
You may hack it if you dedicate enough time to playing or cuddling your birdie when you get home from work, making sure your green cheek is the priority during this time.
Take him out of his cage, play and have an interaction with him, and even do some simple target training.
In the morning, you’ll also want to dedicate a half or one hour to your bird getting him ready for the day. Prepare his food, water, and toys and ensure his day cage is safe.
Another thing to note is your green conure will misbehave and test your authority more than you may expect. The bird will push boundaries to see what he can get away with, so if you don’t pay them close attention, he can cause substantial damage or pick up bad habits.
Your birdies will keep doing what he wants as long as you do not stop him.
Now, if you are involved in other activities after school or work and can’t spare an hour or two to be with your bird, a green cheek conure is not ideal for you.
And that’s a solid hour of undivided attention, not counting the time the bird is around you while doing your homework.
As a matter of fact, no parrot or parrotlet is ideal for you if you are busy most of the day with only less than an hour to spare.
If you have cannot spare a solid hour just focusing on your bird, then maybe not get a green cheek, whether as a first bird or an addition to your flock.
Away from dedicating time for your green cheek, another thing you need to consider when evaluating your lifestyle is your living situation.
I did mention that conure are a little on the louder side of parrotlets, so if you plan on having your bird in an apartment, a green cheek is probably not the bird to have.
You are better off owning one if you live in a stand-alone house, preferably one with a back or front yard.
Even so, if your conure is overly loud, it’s perhaps for other reasons and not the natural dispensation. Your green cheek will most likely scream when casually hanging out with you.
From experience, some things or situations trigger a conure’s screeches, such as home appliances like blenders and vacuum cleaners or a stranger in your home trying to handle your green cheek.
Green cheek are class clowns. They compete with noises around them, so if you live in a noisy neighborhood where there is always stuff going on, your birdie may become quite the noisemaker.
Below are a few tips to help you determine whether a green cheek conure is the ideal first bird for you.
- Get a green cheek conure only if you want a single bird as a first avian pet. Unlike budgies, a conures pair mean twice the mischief and a lot of competition which is not always healthy. If you must keep your conure with a companion, I’d consider a different parrotlet, like a Quaker or something close.
- Get a green cheek only if you can keep noises in your household at the minimum. You also don’t want this birdie if you stay in a noisy area since conures tend to feed off that energy and can get pretty loud.
- Green cheek parakeets are messy eaters that sling food around. Like all birds, they also poop everywhere, so if you cant slot in regular cleaning in your schedule, perhaps don’t get this bird.
- I know some kids are pretty responsible and can handle a green cheek conure pretty well, but overall, I do not recommend them for children. These little birdies can be mean bitters and come with many responsibilities, hence not safe around most typical children.
- Get a green cheek conure or any parrot for that matter as a first bird only if your inner circle is open to having him as part of your life. The bird considers you their companion, and dived attention or negative energy from your friends may not be ideal for them.
- Be ready to commit to your green cheek conure for a long time since they are pretty long-lived, and rehoming them is perhaps not what’s best for the bird unless you really have to.
Are Sun Conures Good for Beginner
Sun conures are wonderful pet birds for beginners if you can get past their horrible screams.
Suns are easy to care for compared to African greys, Amazons, macaws, and cockatoos.
They fall more in the budgie, cockatiel, or maybe a Quaker’s alleyway in terms of maintenance. Suns are also more playful, cuddly, wacky, and do more silly and hilarious antics than smaller parrots, even if their noise level is something else.
That said, remember sun conures are still parrots, so you can’t ignore the effort required to raise them. They’ll need a lot of the same things any feathery pet will, including a balanced diet, a big cage, lots of love and attention, socialization, toys, and perches.
Of course, your sun will have some bad days where he becomes jealous and bitey, but if you accept him for what she is, he will be an adorable little companion.
Thats all for this post.
Have fun with your conure🦜🦜.